April 4/05 Report
Start: 9:38 am. Adjourn: 11:12 am

Present: Mitchell, Jackson , Merulla (out 2x - 11 min), Bruckler, Braden, Collins (out 1x - 2 min), Ferguson (out 1x - 16 min), McCarthy (arrived 10:30 , left 11:05).

Also present: Pearson for first half of meeting. Media: McGuinness (Spectator), Mann (CHML), Werner ( Brabant )

CATCH: Don and Joan

CHANGES TO THE AGENDA:

• Glenn Sollie of Tradeport wants to speak this morning to the airport waste issue
• Report circulated re item 10.1 on sidewalk snow clearance
• Added in camera item respecting a tender

4. DELEGATION REQUESTS

4.1 Eric Brown, P.Eng. FMA, E$ S Canada , March 18, 2005 , respecting energy saving solutions.

4.2 Glenn Sollie, Environmental Services Co-Ordinator, John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport , March 22, 2005 , respecting International Waste from the airport to the Glanbrook Landfill. (Items 9.1 and 9.2 on the agenda.)

4.3 Tino Mattuzzi, February 3, 2005 , respecting charge for snow removal on City sidewalk at corner of Locke Street South and Stanley Avenue in 2004.

All delegation requests approved without debate.

6. CONSENT ITEMS

6.1 Volunteer Committee Minutes - For Information (a) Hamilton Cycling Committee meeting held Wednesday, January 26, 2005
http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2005/Apr04/Hamilton%20Cycling%20Committee
%20Minutes%20-%20Jan.262005.pdf

6.2 Citizen Appointments to the City of Hamilton Waste Reduction Task Force and Revised Terms of Reference for the Waste Reduction Task Force - (PW05029) - (City Wide)
http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2005/Apr04/PW05029.pdf

6.3 Operations Issue Update dated March 3, 2005 from Bryan Shynal, Director of Operations and Maintenance, respecting Red Light Camera Program (RLCP05-01). Outstanding business list Item Z.
http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2005/Apr04/RLCP05-01%20-%20Red
%20Light%20Camera%20Program.pdf
"the Ministry of Transportation directed that signs be installed at intersections which have red light cameras in operation. While the City has not advertised camera locations in the past, preferring to encourage drivers to stop at all red lights in the City, we will comply with the Ministry directive."

6.4 Operations Issue Update dated March 17, 2005 from John Mater, Director of Fleet & Facilities, respecting Transfer of Specialized Equipment to User Divisions. Outstanding business list Item P
http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2005/Apr04/Operations%20Update
%20-%20Transfer%20of%20Specialized%20Equipment.pdf
"The Central Fleet consists of about 700 licenced vehicles and over 1,000 equipment units. As noted in the Strategic Plan, the core business of Central Fleet is the acquisition, maintenance, repair and disposal of specialized medium and heavy duty equipment for municipal services. There are on-road vehicles including cars, pickup trucks and a range of heavier trucks including dump trucks and waste collection packers. There are also off-road equipment units, including backhoes, tractors, ice resurfacers, large mowers and loaders. This part of the fleet has a number of common components. Each unit has a motor, a seat for the operator, wheels, tires, brakes, transmission, and battery. About 522 of the 1,000 equipment units are low-cost items (under $5,000 each) and are distinct in that they have none of these components except a motor. The list includes grass trimmers, chain saws, hedge trimmers, water pumps, walk behind power lawn mowers, walk behind snow blowers, leaf blowers, etc."

All consent items approved without debate.

9. DISCUSSION ITEMS

9.1 Request for Acceptance of International Waste from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport at the Glanbrook Landfill (PW04093a) - (Affects Ward 11) Public Works, Infrastructure and Environment Committee Outstanding Business Item (S)
http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2005/Apr04/PW04093a.pdf
"It was concluded that although it was technically feasible to accept the International Waste at the Glanbrook Landfill Site, the Site's Certificate of Approval does not currently permit the acceptance of these wastes and there is strong public opposition from the Glanbrook community to these wastes being accepted at the Glanbrook Landfill Site. On the basis of the review, public input and resolution by the GLCC to not accept this waste, staff continues to recommend that the International Waste not be accepted at the Glanbrook Landfill Site and that the HIA be advised accordingly."

9.2 Request for Acceptance of International Waste from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport to the Glanbrook Landfill (PW04093) - (Ward 11)
http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2005/Apr04/PW04093.pdf
TABLED at the August 11, 2004 Committee of the Whole Meeting.

Items 9.1 and 9.2 took up the largest part of the meeting ( 9:40-10:22 ) and included presentations by Glenn Sollie and Richard Koroscil from the airport. The airport wants to dump its international waste at the Glanbrook landfill instead of continuing to truck it to a site in Welland . Hamilton has a policy not to accept waste from outside Hamilton , and the Glanbrook landfill has a Certificate of Approval that forbids the receipt of international waste. The airport made the request last summer and it was turned down by the Glanbrook Landfill committee. A subsequent public meeting also strongly rejected the request. Mitchell suggested that some of the opposition was anti-amalgamation feelings. Concerns include the possible transmission of disease or invasive species. The airport representatives made the argument that the airport is very important economically to Hamilton and this would improve their bottom line. "Lower costs will help attract international carriers to the airport." They also are willing to use sealed containers to transport the waste and to have it immediately buried at least 6 feet deep at the landfill. They say it would be less in volume than two households per year. Also said 99% of waste comes from Canada and very little is food or animal waste. Waste was previously sent to SWARU. Now trucked "80 kilometres to another municipality . and the tipping fees are high and the hauling costs are high". The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is prepared to allow the dumping at Glanbrook under certain monitoring conditions. An application could be made to the MOE to amend the Certificate of Approval to allow the waste. The pictures presented by the airport reps led Merulla to move a motion asking the Canadian government to change its rules to require recycling and use of less packaging. Koroscil was asked about where Pearson international waste goes and he said "to Peel, within their municipality". Mitchell says "every single person . all agree that this material should be shipped to an energy from waste facility". Jackson asked why staff are opposed to the proposal. Scott Stewart explained: "Our concern is listening to the community. You can see how long this has taken . we've met with Glanbrook Landfill Coordinating Committee and they have lived and breathed since this landfill was put in back in 1980. . broader meeting with the Glanbrook community. We've met with the CFIA . There's a lot more work at the city level, more inspections, we're digging the holes deeper. It's all technically feasible, but at the end of this if anything goes wrong, something happens, now we're on the hook for something bigger and broader, and for such a small amount of tonnage. We just see this as a lot of additional work. A lot of work with the CFIA. They're going to be on site, which means we'll have to be on site, which means we have to be real clear that the deer aren't running around out on the landfill. . not hurdles that can't be overcome. . bigger headache for the community, and we're hearing loud and clear don't do it.." Mitchell says he was asked to inform the committee "that if our city council chose to send it there, that the farmers and the local community would blockade all the roads and create quite a dilemma over all this. And I said I would say that. I didn't take it as a threat . but I've done my job from that community." Committee decides to continue to refuse the airport waste, but to refer the request to the Hamilton-Niagara Waste Plan process (which may eventually include construction of an incinerator). Mitchell noted that Braden is co-chair of this process and "I refer to it as the Energy from Waste, but I know it's not." Stewart: "This just adds another regulator - the CFIA people. They're a serious bunch." Braden notes immense problems and costs imposed on the livestock sector by BSE and recounts personal story of illness picked up abroad that put him in the hospital for 17 days. "So I think that we have reason to be careful." Also says issue is political. "I think people in south Glanbrook feel dumped on, no pun intended, and if we're going to work with community groups we're going to have to somehow have to deal seriously and with cooperation."

9.3 Response to Sierra Club of Canada Resolution to Reduce Packaging (PW05030) - (City Wide)
http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2005/Apr04/PW05030.pdf
"the City of Hamilton requests that the Government of Canada take action on the problem of packaging in the waste stream with the goal being to have manufacturers;

• Place volume limits on packaging relative to the size of the product being packaged,
• Standardize packaging types to those types collected through Municipal programs, with strong incentives to use #1 PET and #2 HDPE, thereby making it easier for consumers to recycle through Municipal collection programs, and,
• Use packaging that contains the maximum possible content of recycled material."

Approved without discussion.

9.4 Ancaster Community Centre Soccer Pitch Infrastructure Improvements (PW05028/FCS05040) - (Ward 12)
http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2005/Apr04/PW05028.pdf
"The Ancaster Youth Soccer Club contacted Parks staff of the Operations & Maintenance Division of the Public Works Department for permission to fund the installation of an irrigation system and perimeter fencing on Field No. 2 at the Ancaster Sports Complex. The proposed capital infrastructure improvements are to be provided at no cost to the City."

Approved without discussion.

9.5 Winter Control Fleet Equipment Purchase (PW05009a) - (City Wide)
http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2005/Apr04/PW05009a.pdf
Recommendation to purchase additional 17 snow plows. " By adding these seventeen trucks to the existing award and receiving them as 2005 models instead of 2006 models, the City avoids a planned steel surcharge on 2006 models of $500 per truck, and new emission controls estimated to add about $10,000 per truck. This would increase the purchase price by approximately $178,000 in total. The seventeen additional trucks recommended for replacement had a collective total maintenance expense of $367,818 in 2004. It will not be necessary to spend this much in 2005 if we can remove these trucks from service at the end of the Winter control season in April 2005 and use new trucks for the 2005-2006 Winter season. This will relieve some of the pressure expected on the fleet operating budget caused by the delay in receiving new equipment."

Bruckler : "It's great to save money and advance the purchases . some environmental issues .[report] talks about the advance purchases of these trucks will be in advance of new emission controls estimated at about $10,000 extra cost. Ten thousand dollars is a substantial amount of change but I would hope that one of the reasons we're advancing the purchases is not so we can avoid the new and improved emission controls . I'm not particularly keen on that issue." Gerry Davis "We're not trying to avoid the emission controls aspect. We're trying to avoid some of the additional costs that goes with it. Through the initiatives that we are currently preparing for this committee to review shortly our green fleet implementation plan we will be addressing the environmental concerns of our fleet through the types of fuels . as well as through other alternatives - energy technologies that we can use in an affordable way."

9.6 Tree Removal Request - Albion Falls Scenic Waterfalls Program (PW05035) - (Ward 6 with City Wide Implications)
http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2005/Apr04/PW05035.pdf
"That fifteen of the existing trees, as shown on Appendix B attached to Report PW05035, be approved for removal to facilitate the construction of two viewing decks and provide clear unobstructed site lines from the proposed Albion Falls viewing platform toward the waterfall. . the cost for the removal of these trees and the selective thinning of invasive vegetation, which is estimated to be approximately $17,000.00. The approved budget for the project is $500,000 as part of the 2003 Council Approved Capital Budget program, funding from the Hamilton Future Fund. The annual maintenance costs for the viewing facilities is estimated at $15,000 consisting of Student labour, materials and equipment to perform litter control, removal, and general maintenance activities."

Ferguson and Braden were concerned about $500,000 price tag. Ferguson said original Future Fund decision was to "upgrade or showcase two waterfalls" but staff say whole budget will be spent on Albion . Braden thinks the cost is much too large. "We need to have the courage to look at it again." Bruckler concerned that there are two platforms "at the same location". Gerry Davis says price is not finalized yet, just going into detail design. Says they expect tenders will be for full price but if there's money left over it can be used for another project. Jackson very supportive. Idea came from "former department head" - intended for "tourist enhancement" and "to change the image of the city of Hamilton" Says "people have not in large numbers been going to" these areas. "need to entice them". "Staff and I have been working on this for about the last year and a half. The money has been approved" Cost is because "staff want to make this a good test case and pilot area for other waterfall projects". Says the trees are in poor condition. "We have had full consultation with the Niagara Escarpment Commission, the Hamilton Conservation Authority, Bruce Trail Association. I have sent out a couple of circulars to the neighbourhood over the past year telling them what council has approved." It would be "irresponsible" to hold it back. "This is an area that could be a real destination point, not only for our citizens, but for tourists. This is all part of the trails extension in the Albion Falls and Upper Stoney Creek area." Cost higher "to make this the exciting area that we want it to be". "I've had other members of council on other different projects that are moving projects forward and if some of us were to raise some questions." Bruckler asks if one platform could be designed to accommodate everyone. Davis says "parking is available" near the platforms. One is a two-level deck and would be more expensive to add wheelchair access "and they wanted the panoramic view of both sides of the waterfall". Bruckler also notes problem with diagram in the report which doesn't include the falls or other existing reference points. Braden reiterates problem with cost and fact that proposal was for two waterfall enhancements not one. Ferguson says "we have 28 waterfalls in the new city and at this rate it will cost $14 million to do them" but says "this has gone too far to back down now" so he seconds the motion. Mitchell asks if staff will come back with more exact cost and they agree to do so. "That area, a generation before us, was all agriculture. And there were many, many wedding pictures taken around that falls. There was a beautiful fieldstone wall there and our family's farmed in this area for four generations and I've got pictures of my grandfather and grandmother standing over there in front of the fieldstone wall . people came from all over to have wedding pictures taken there. It would really be nice to see that type of thing brought back to the big city. it was very very beautiful in the past and I want to see it brought back. Motion is carried.

9.7 Corktown Neighbourhood Traffic Management Plan , Class Environmental Assessment (PW05033) - (Ward 2)
http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/clerk/agendas-minutes-reports/
public-works/2005/Apr04/PW05033.pdf

Jackson asks some questions including whether ward councillors were consulted. Braden wants to know if environmental assessment costs would be lower if broken into smaller projects. Stewart : "Massive plans are the way to deal with these things and you can lump a lot of things in all at once, but the province is fairly smart and they're on to some of that stuff." Carried.

10. OUTSTANDING BUSINESS LIST UPDATES

10.1 Item F - Sidewalk snow clearing - including snow clearing for all BIA's - compassionate fund, comparison with other municipalities, slip and fall history and input from HABIA - due date April 4, 2005 - see page 6.

Written update provided by Bryan Shynal. More updates coming on April 18.

10.2 Item P - Report on feasibility of transferring some specialized equipment to user department - due date April 4, 2005 - see page 8 and Item 6.4. Bruckler notes MTO rule to put up notice about red-light cameras . "I find it very strange".

10.3 Item S - International waste from John C Munro Airport to Glanbrook Landfill - due date April 4, 2005 - see page 8 and Items 9.1 and 9.2 above.

Dealt with in 9.1 and 9.2.

10.4 Item HH - Letters to residents re: Expressway noise mitigation options - due date April 4, 2005 - see page 10.

Report not ready. Delayed to April 18 meeting.

13. GENERAL INFORMATION

Collins asks about letters he's received from companies re "the Woodward Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant Cogeneration project" They want it tendered. Stewart says "it's confusion". Company mentioned was part of the original partnership.

Collins also raises issue of new stoplights at Eastgate Square being installed in 2007. Wants it put on the outstanding business list. Also pedestrian struck near Eastgate several weeks ago. He has petition asking for the installation of a traffic island. "We have a meeting next week with the owners of Eastgate to try and improve the situation around the mall for pedestrians." Submits petition.

Ferguson concerned about new highway 6 bridge over Glancaster Road . Wants concerns sent to MTO. Worried about a "catastrophic failure". Also concerned about bridges on 403 over Shaver, Albert and Sunyridge also have problems. Motion passed.

JackBson "on the media announcement of the approximately 23 thousand trees that were saved, that were not cut down to make way for the Red Hill Creek Parkway." Asks Chris Murray to explain how this was done. Murray: ".there were really two reasons. first, in the course of construction we were able to in a number of areas, but mostly focusing on the creek, avoid having to do a clearcut of the entire floodplain width. So really as a result of field work that the contractor and our construction administration people have been able to avoid having to take down more trees than are absolutely necessary. And then the second reason really stems from the method that we used to calculate the number of trees back in 1998. In a nutshell what had happened was we overestimated the density. I think if we had . undertaken to do more plots, surveying, probably could have gotten a little more accurate." JackBson says the plan is still to go ahead with the same planting plan and Murray confirms this. Jackson: "I just wanted to get that at this committee table on the record - not to convert anybody either way on this project, and that wasn't the purpose, but when the 44,000 figure was brought out in a very honest and legitimate way as staff had in past years, of course that was one of many reasons that those who aren't in favour of the project pounced on in terms of saying the enormous loss . the fact that we didn't come anywhere close to that, I just think needs to be stated for the overall community to hear and to be officially noted at this committee table. And excellent work, Chris." [the meeting was only attended by politicians and city staff and the media that had already reported this, plus two CATCH volunteers]. MBitchell then asks what the new ratio of replacement will be. Murray says 15:1. Bruckler asks about opportunities to beef up planting for adjacent property owners, neighbourhood involvement. Murray : "Right now, again when we talk about planting, we're talking about trees and shrubs and grasses. I know the focus has always been on trees, but we're certainly doing more than just trees. The plan right now for areas or habitats within the valley is to replace or to plant somewhere in the order of about 110,000 of those trees. We also have a commitment, though, to do planting within the watershed. And there are a number of areas within the watershed, that we could, if you will, fill in gaps that might assist with ecological function or habitat functions. . balance of trees . there's a number of ways in which we can approach it. One way might be to focus on areas closest to the valley and the thought being that - and again I'll be asking council to give me advice here - would be to look at a neighbourhood tree planting program whereby we would make an offer to the neighbours who live in close proximity to the valley to provide them with trees to plant in their properties and I think the benefit of that would be not only in replacing the canopy that's been lost as a result of the project, but it's in close proximity to the valley as opposed to other areas which maybe are further afield within the watershed. At this point in time I have not had specific direction on that and if council or committee wish to move that we come back with a report explaining how we might go about doing this, I'd be more than happy to do that." Mitchell : "Moved by Jackson , seconded by Bruckler that that report come back to us." Carried.

Bruckler asks about getting sponsorship of some of the tree planting from businesses "to create interest along the trail system and to get community involvement. Have you looked at that? Is that do-able?" Murray : "Right now we have parties that are contacting us. I know the scouts and some others are interested in doing some work within Red Hill Valley . These are groups that have approached us as opposed to us approaching them. It's something that I could certainly report back on a program to reach out and try to identify opportunities for others to add to our 220,000 trees that we want to plant. the more the better. the actual contract growing for this material is being worked out between Six Nations and the city of Hamilton, more specifically Bryan Shynal's group. We expect to get an expression of interest from the two groups by the middle of April. However, the final arrangement will be taken back to Public Works for your review and consideration. But if there was a chance to expand upon that growing program with others contributing to it, I would say that now would be the time to hear if there's others that are interested in participating with us." Bruckler adds this request for a report to previous decision. [no vote].

Bruckler also raises recent court decision requiring owners of rail trails to provide fences between trail and private property - asks for staff report on cost implications.

Braden : ".I'm working with staff and councillor McHattie. We're actually going to do some tree planting, specifically on the Linc, coordinated by the city staff. I'm very impressed. I had a meeting with them the other day and they had a whole sort of schedule of what's going to go on, how they're going to do it, and how we'll divide the roles. The reason to bring it up is if staff members here or politicians would like to donate, let's say 4 hours of time, somewhere between the end of April and near the end of May, we're looking for volunteers. The number of volunteers will determine how many trees we want to plant. So if you are an activist and you want to plant trees, call me. And we're going to go from there. And we're not trying to plant the most trees. We're trying to plant trees where there is the best chance to succeed, and where there is high visibility. We're going to put them on the Linc, and you know how I feel about the Linc. The message is if you want to green this community, we gotta do it ourselves, not just rely on government. .get the ball rolling. If we do this for the next twenty years, we will make a huge difference, and I'm pleased to be part of it." Mitchell: "you can add my name to the list and I don't think you have to be an activist to want to plant trees in this city. And I would rather have a lot more people getting involved to plant trees than having our staff have to do it all, so put my name on the list, please."

Collins : "On Friday I got some very exciting news. About six weeks ago the Waterfront Trust petitioned the Port Authority to allow us to extend the waterfront trail around the remainder of Pier 8. As you're well aware, the trail ends in front of the Marine Discovery Centre, and we were hoping that sometime over the next year or two we could secure a property around Pier 8 to give us a continuous link between - which would give us Cootes Paradise all the way over the Haida if in fact we could secure that land. And on Friday afternoon, the Port Authority agreed - number one that they would allow us to continue the trail from the Marine Discovery Centre to Guise Street , and second to that they also committed funding. They agreed to be a partner - one third cost funding, around $90,000. The Waterfront Trust has already approved its share of the funding, and of course we're looking to the city as the third partner to assist in funding that trail. And we could actually have that done probably in time for June or July which would be a tremendous success and a great initiative, I think, for the city and council and the other stakeholders." Asks that it be referred to the budget process.

Mitchell asks for report on signalized crosswalks. Says one is definitely needed on Hunter behind City Hall. Scott Stewart says a report will be coming in late spring or early summer. Motion moved to add it to the outstanding business list.

In-camera item on the Mountain Arena. Decision to approve the recommendation without going into camera. Only the recommendation will be released.

Adjournment.